The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-07
STATUE UNVEILED IN NEW Or
LEANS YESTERDAY
Under the Auspices OF the Army Of
the Tennessee, Louisiana
Division.
HON. JEFFERSON DAVIS THE
ORATOR OF THE DAY.
A Letter From President Cleveland
and Tive Poems Features
Of the Occasion.

ston on the tomb of the Benevolent
Association of the Army OF the Ten
nessee, in Lemaire Cemetery, took
place at 8 o'clock today. There was
an immense assemblaSe OF people
present, probably over 10000. the
Veteran Associa ions, inc uding
Grand Army Posts, attended in a
body. Upon the platform were many
noted persons, including Mr.. and
Mrs. Jefferson Davis, Miss Varina
Davis, Gen. Beauregard and staff,
Gov. McEneiy and staff, Mrs. Albert
Sydney Johnston, Col. William
p. Johnston and family, Col.
Throckmorton, United States Ar
my, and other officers, Charles
Dudley Warner, of New
York, Gen, s. Hooke and Walt 1ully,
Gov. Lowry, OF Mississippi, and
many others. The statue was present.
ed by Fendell Horn, second vice pres
ident, and Was received by Judge W.
III. Rogers, president. The statu9 was
unveiled by Rosa Robinson, aged 6
years, a great grand daughter OF Gen.
Johnston, and Miss Jennie Rogers,
daughter Of Judge Rogers. The MEM
bsrs of the Fifth company OF the
Washington Artillery fred salute of
thirty-eight guns. Poems by Mrs.
Mary Ashby Townsend, of New Or
leans, and Mre. Kate II. Sherwood, of
Toledo, o., were read. Gen. Randall
L. Gibson, United States Senator, de-
livered the Grafton Of the day, and
was followed by Mr.. Davis, who spoke
as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLRMEN-u words
could add ything to the effect which
this Ecene'pro5uGss, then should re-
grit that my physical ability doss not
allow me to address go large an audi
eIce as this. Sydney Johuston's fame
rests upon his deeds. 1t required no
embellishments tom anyone, and il it
did, the able orators you have hsard
have done all the occasion could re-
quire. To you, my brethren Of the
Louisiana division Of the Army OF the
Tennessee, l wish to offer my con.
CALCULATIONS for the eminent success in
the task you undertook, despite thejeer
and il,prophecy of those who said
you could MOI succeed. You have
succeeded pointing to the statue) and
there is today, l believe, the best
equestrian statue, man and horse, that
is to be found in any country. APP
plause. There is the head and neck,
familiar 10 many Of you, of tina horse
he rode when be received his death
wound copied 1 know not how, but
instinct with the resemblance. There
is the grand figure of our hero as we
have seen him on horseback, the per-
feet cavalier ss we'll as the fearless SOL
der. You have done well to embody
this hero's statue in material more
enduring than granite-not that his
fame was likely to diminish, nor that
you required aly visible sign to re-
mind you of his greatness or warm
your affection for him, but that in the
coming time, as the youths of the
country pass by, they may look at
that statue and say: swell, who ia
this2" and learn the story of q man
who was as good as he was great and
as great as humanity permits man to
be. The speaker then dwelt at some
length upon the intimacy of his &C.
quaintance with Johnston, having
been associated with him in
college and the Military Acade-
my, where he was recognized
as the grandest character in the class,
and proceeded as follows: We entered
the army together, and were in the
same branch OF the service. We were
together in barracks and in the Indian
campaigns; and / remember now the
time when l saw him, when deadly
disease was sprea ling among the men
in the camp. Sydney Johnston was
there, himself suffering, yet calm
and attentive to those who
were suffering more tn IN him
self. He showed no trepidiation;
it was not in his nature to do 80. The
man who had been as lion in battles,
when he stopped over suffering
.cnmrade, his eyes moistened with
more than mothers weakness. Such
was the nature of this mans heart.
Then we served in the foreign wars
together. / could not tell how much
of that period, without being subject
to charge Of egotism, for singly and
alone we two have stood where death
seemed to CONS every moment,
and there Sydney Johnston was
as calm as / ever saw him in
camp. His decision wal as quick
as rife powder. Il speak to the
infantry men who know how quick
that is Then there was one charac-
teristic of him which prevailed
throughout the whole course of his
life, and that was his chivalric tenn
per. He never deserted friend, and
was prone to step in front of friend
when he saw him assailed. he was
kniRhtly bat not arrant. When he saw
Texas struggling for right be thought |
belonged to all men-the night OF self
government-he went to volunteer
without recommendation, taking his
place in the ranks to fight for the lib
erty of Texas In order that she might |
have q government of her own. As |
the time wore on his merits |
were discovered and he was raised 10 |
rank aud position. When the |
war with Mexico began, we had but
q few troops on the Rio Grande, and |
in the beginning of the war there
seemed little probability Of success.
JOnneL0n OISaDlI 5u u IeslHoh'y VI
which he was colonel, and marched |
Immediately to the support of Zachary
Taylor. Aftsrward he was on the
staff OF Gen. Taylor. / will not worry
you by going into details. A voice
IN the crowd: go on."] After the
var with Mexico. Ny friends,
/ will go on little longer.
Applause He was appointed
under the administration
Of Franklin Pierce--a Yankee who
never faltered in the maintenance Of
States rights, a man who in the Sem
ate Of the United States voted for ev-
sry one Of the resolutions OF Calhoun,
though many Southern Senator'S did so
Thanks to New Hamp-
hire for bresding such man as
franklin Pierce. Pierce appointed
Johnston PsymRster and Colonel Of
he Second Cavalry, regiment which
rave more distinguished officers to
both armies in the war between the